s. He was in favor of
anything that offered prospect of a gamble; and we remembered the
letter in code we had given the missionary to mail to Monty. We had
told him in that that we should make tracks for Elgon, and we all voted
the same way.

"In other words" grinned Fred, "we're perfect idiots, and ready and
willing to prove it! Good! If you fellows had voted the other way I'd
have gone forward to Elgon alone!"

It was then that Georges Coutlass took a hand in the game again. He
came striding through the trees with something of his old swagger, and
sat down among us with an air.

"Count me in!" he demanded.

"D'you mean in the lake?" suggested Fred.

"In on the trip to Mount Elgon!"

"We've had nearly enough of you!" Fred answered. "I know what's
coming! If you don't come with us you'll tell tales? Blackmail, eh?
Well, it won't work! We'll set you ashore on the mainland, and if you
dare show yourself to Schillingschen or any British official, we'll run
that risk cheerfully!"

But Coutlass was imperturbable for once. He laid a hand on Fred's
knee, and changed his tone to one of gentle persuasion between friend
and friend.

"Ah! Mr. Oakes, I know you now too well! You are not the man to leave
me in the lurch! These others perhaps! You never! You know me, too.
You have seen me under all conditions. You are able to judge my
character. You know how firm a friend I can be, as well as how savage
an enemy! You know I would never be false to a friend such as you--to
a man whom I admire as I do you!"

Will Yerkes, who had tried to keep a straight face, now went off into
peals of laughter, rolling over on his back and rocking his legs in the
air--a performance that did not appear to discourage Coutlass in the
least. Brown was far from amused. He advised throwing the Greek into
the lake.

"Remember those cattle o' mine!" he insisted.

"Yes!" agreed Coutlass. "Remember those cattle! Consider what a man
of quick decision and courage I am! How useful I can be! What a
forager! What a guide! What a fighting man! What a hunter! What a
liar on behalf of my friends! What a danger for my friends' enemies!
What are the cattle of a drunkard like Brown--the poor unhappy
sot!--compared to the momentary needs of a gentleman! Ah! By the
ordeal! I am a gentleman, and that is the secret of it all! You, Mr.
Oakes, as one brave gentleman, can not despise the right hand of
friendship of Georges Coutlass,